The UK, in my experience, is one of the worst places in the world for photography. Photography on Trafalger Square? forbidden if it is “professional”.
And now this, Aldwych Station, London, UK:
Of course this shows the UK’s obsession with controlling, and the UK’s diametrically-opposed-to-freedom views. It is no suprise that George Irwell was British. And see “Children of Men” for a great dystopia. China is more free than Britain, and this is a sad statement.
So what do you do?
- Know the laws and try to stay within them.
- But be vocal when you are within your rights.
- Smile a lot.
- Use a smaller camera and a smaller lens.
- Use a wide angle lens and get the action on the side.
- Or use long lens and try not to be noticed.
- Avoid being male and having a beard.
- Be Quick!
These tips should get you by the worst fo the restrictions. Practice at home when it is not important yet.
(And I always carry a Fuji x100, which has a full APS-C sensor and many megapixels, but the silly people who make the rules do not know this).
Who said “it’s hard to soar like an eagle when you’re surrounded by turkeys”?
The sign in Tienanmen Square is electronic and alternates between Chinese and English. It says:
Visitor Information
Admission is free with valid ID
Bags, cameras, video cameras, drinks
and cups are strictly prohibited
in the Memorial Hall
The English are just ignorant! There is virtually no difference in image quality between a high end point & shoot , rangefinder or dSLR. I wonder what they would think of someone with a Leica M9
I think it is just plain ignorance that governments ban DSLR cameras. Obviously they haven’t thought it through. There are plenty of really good non DSLR looking cameras out there so they don’t gain much with this rule(law?). The question that should be asked by the people, of their government is, what are they trying to protect or hide by not allowing its citizens from photographing?
I think is is just fear, and ignorance that props up this bad decision. If the governments are worried about terrorism, I am sure terrorists already have access to more pictures, video and surveillance of these restricted areas than honest citizens.
Citizens (and visitors) need to reach out to their local government officials and constructively express their thoughts on this issue. The only way to make change happens is by people speaking out these issues (assuming you live in a free society where you can speak your mind).